Scottish Executive

Civil Service

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many expert advisers are currently working as temporary civil servants; how many such advisers are full-time; what grade they are; how they are distributed across departments, and how these numbers have changed on an annual basis since the establishment of the Parliament.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is set out in the following table:

  

 Number of expert advisers currently 
  working as temporary civil servants
 5


 Number full-time
 1


 Grade
 SCS


 Departmental split
 2 - Enterprise, Transport & 
  Lifelong Learning Department
1 - Education Department
1 - Office of the Permanent Secretary
1 - Justice Department


 Number of expert advisers appointed 
  since establishment of the Parliament
 1 - February 2001 - October 
  2002
1 - February 2001 - March 2003
1 - June 2002
1 - May 2003
1 - August 2003
1 - January 2004
1 - February 2004

Community Care

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what medical conditions entitle a patient to free personal care.

Mr Tom McCabe: In legal terms, the Care Development Group’s definition of personal care covers both personal care and personal support (as defined in the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001). The Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 therefore requires that neither personal care nor personal support be charged for. It also specifies that no charge should be made for the specific types of care listed in Schedule 1 to the Act (even if they would not be classified as personal care or support under the terms of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001).

Culture

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support Edinburgh’s application to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as a world city of literature.

Mr Frank McAveety: The Executive supports the proposal in principle and has provided £50,000 to support the development work associated with the aspiration to establish Edinburgh as a World City of Literature.

Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5725 by Cathy Jamieson on 3 February 2004, if statistics regarding convictions under the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003 are not held centrally, how it intends to monitor the efficacy of the legislation.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive intend to undertake a survey towards the end of 2004 to establish how effective the provisions of the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003, which commenced on 22 October last year, have been. This will incorporate a section on the number of fixed penalties issued and any cases which have been referred to the procurator fiscal for consideration.

Enterprise

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that Scotland gains the economic benefits from its production of equipment for wind farm development.

Lewis Macdonald: We have created the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland to bring together stakeholders to work with the Executive to ensure that Scotland can take full advantage of these opportunities. With support from the enterprise networks, Scotland has already succeeded in creating new jobs in the production of renewable energy devices, most notably at Vestas Celtic in Campbeltown. The recently published gap analysis study commissioned jointly by the Executive, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the DTI showed that there are currently around 2,000 jobs in the renewables industry in Scotland with the potential to increase this number significantly in the period to 2020, both in the existing technologies of wind and hydro power and in the new renewables technologies such as wave, tidal and biomass.

Environment

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is supporting the reduction of excessive packaging on products.

Allan Wilson: In December 2003 the Executive increased the packaging waste recovery target from 59% to 63% and set a target of 70% for 2008. It also set specific recycling targets for different types of packaging material, ranging from 18-65% in 2004 to 21-71% in 2008. These compare to the original (1998) recovery and recycling targets of 38% and 7%, respectively. Increasing companies’ recovery and recycling obligations for packaging waste in this way constitutes a strong incentive for them to minimise the amount of packaging they use in the first place.

  In other respects The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 require packaging to be manufactured in such a way that its volume and weight are limited to what is necessary to maintain the safety, hygiene and acceptance of the packed product for the consumer and commercialised in such a way that its impact on the environment is minimised when the packaging becomes waste. Policy responsibility for this matter is reserved to the United Kingdom Government.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and, if so, whether such a review will consider whether additional bodies such as registered social landlords should be brought under the remit of the act.

Tavish Scott: There are no plans to review generally the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 which will be implemented on 1 January 2005. Later this year however a review of the range of public bodies covered by the act will be carried out. This review will consider the inclusion of bodies such as registered social landlords.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is given to GPs with regard to distinguishing different types of dementia on death certificates.

Malcolm Chisholm: No guidance is given specific to dementia. However, the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death used in Scotland follows that recommended by the World Health Organisation and general training material on how to complete this was provided in 1999 to directors of post graduate GP education, post graduate deans, post graduate tutors and NHS Education.

  Every pack of certificates which issues to GPs also includes guidance on completion, including how to record the disease or condition that led directly to death, the underlying cause and any significant contributing condition, disease or accident, which was not part of the sequence leading directly to death.

Highlands and Islands Airports

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the charging structure is in respect of each airport for which Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd is responsible and how much is charged for out-of-hours landings at each such airport.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is given in Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd’s charges schedules for 2003-04 and proposed for 2004-05. Copies of the schedules are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. numbers 31239 and 31240).

Highlands and Islands Airports

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what annual costs were charged by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd for out-of-hours landings by air ambulances in each of the last three years.

Nicol Stephen: The annual amounts for out-of-hours landings by air ambulances at the airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd are as follows:

  

 
 Actual 2000-01
 Actual 2001-02
 Actual 2002-03


 Totals
 £130,884
 £132,527
 £154,354

Highlands and Islands Airports

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to upgrade the cross runway at Wick Airport.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has no current plans to upgrade the cross runway at Wick Airport.

Historic Scotland

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the book buying policy of Historic Scotland is and what emphasis Historic Scotland gives to books published in Scotland.

Mr Frank McAveety: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to reply. His response is as follows:-

  Historic Scotland carries a wide range of general interest and Scottish related publications, chosen for their appeal to its diverse visitor profile. Relevance to particular sites and to Scottish history and culture more generally is an important criterion and there is thus a significant emphasis on books about Scotland, many of which are published in Scotland.

Historic Scotland

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a decision has been taken to make the former premises of the Scottish College of Textiles in Galashiels a listed building.

Frank McAveety: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to reply. His response is as follows:

  The former premises of the Scottish College of Textiles in Galashiels has been listed at category B for their architectural and historic interest.

Information Technology

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to further encourage the development of broadband telecommunications services in rural areas in north east Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: In rural Grampian, local field marketing under the broadbandforscotland initiative has helped with the very recent triggering of the Banff and the Turriff exchanges. Nine other exchanges have recorded significant increases in registrations following recent field marketing activities. Around 30 more field marketing visits are planned in the area for the remainder of this financial year. If all 43 of the exchanges that have been set a trigger level by BT are enabled as a result of these activities, coverage in rural Grampian will rise from 13.8 % to 91%.

  The e-business demo centre in Huntly and the mobile demo unit also help to advise and stimulate demand for broadband in this area, with over 300 workshop attendees in the mobile unit over the past year at the 13 locations it has served in rural Grampian.

  For remoter areas where there is little commercial prospect of a mass-market service, the Executive is considering more direct measures to assist communities to access an affordable solution. These will be announced in due course. My officials also liaise regularly with Scottish Enterprise Grampian officials, and are briefed on the progress of other local broadband initiatives such as the wireless pilot in Deeside, the powerline trial in Stonehaven and the Building Buchan New Beginnings project.

Justice

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in reforming the criminal justice system.

Cathy Jamieson: A number of measures are currently under way which will radically reform the criminal justice system.

  The Criminal Procedure (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill will reform the High Court following the recommendations in a report by the Hon Lord Bonomy. The Stage 1 debate took place on 25 February.

  The report from the summary justice review committee chaired by Sheriff Principal McInnes has been submitted to ministers and I expect to make an announcement on its publication in the near future.

  We have set up the National Criminal Justice System Board following the recommendations of the Normand report.

  We are also carrying out a comprehensive programme of modernisation and reform within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

Justice

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what regulations there are to control the marketing of potentially lethal swords and knives and whether it has any plans to introduce any further restrictions on the display and sale of such weapons in retail premises.

Cathy Jamieson: The Knives Act 1997 makes it a criminal offence both to market a knife and to publish material in connection with the marketing of a knife in a way which indicates that the knife is suitable for combat or in a way which is likely to encourage violent behaviour involving the use of the knife as a weapon.

  Section 141 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 makes it a criminal offence to import, manufacture, sell or hire an offensive weapon, or expose or possess such a weapon for the purpose of sale or hire. The list of weapons which have been specified as offensive weapons includes various types of knife.

  Additionally, the Executive is committed under the partnership agreement to review the law and enforcement of knife crimes. In this regard we are currently considering whether there is any need for further legislation in this area, or whether there may be additional non-legislative measures which might be introduced. The outcome of the review will be announced in due course.

Local Government Finance

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when its review of local government finance will commence and whether it will address the specific issues faced by pensioners in paying their council tax.

Mr Andy Kerr: We are committed to an independent review of local government finance and are currently discussing the remit and format of this review with COSLA.

  However, when reviewing council tax alongside possible alternatives, the review is likely to look at issues such as fairness and ability to pay for all households - including pensioner households.

NHS Waiting Times

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4809 by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 January 2004, what the values are of the outliers.

Malcolm Chisholm: The 1% of values that are longer than the 99 th percentile shown in the answer to S2W-4809 on 19 January 2004 cannot individually be relied upon as these will include a mixture of actual times and times that are a result of recording errors. Of those patients who have actually waited longer for in-patient or day case treatment than the value of the 99 th percentile there will be some whose waiting time is affected because their doctor has agreed that the guarantee is not appropriate because: it would either not be in their best medical interests; their condition is of low clinical priority; their treatment is highly specialised; or because they are failed to attend earlier appointments; or because the patients themselves have cancelled or refused appointments.

  Among the actions taken by ISD Scotland in response to the Audit Scotland Report Review of the Management of Waiting Lists in Scotland is the planning of a quality assurance review of waiting lists, to start in March 2004. The review will include a selection of patients already treated whose record indicates that they waited longer than the 99th percentile.

Police

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) authorised and (b) actual police officers there were in Lothian and Borders Police in each month since April 2000, broken down by rank.

Cathy Jamieson: The (then) Scottish Office ceased authorising police numbers in forces in 1996. Since then, the responsibility for decisions on the recruitment and deployment of police officers, and the number of officers within each force has been an operational matter for individual chief constables.

  Police officer numbers by rank are collected annually at 31 March by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary. The available information for Lothian and Borders Police is shown in the following table:

  Lothian and Borders Police Strength by Rank

  

 Rank
 31-03-00
 31-03-01
 31-03-02
 31-03-03


 Chief Constable
 1
 1
 1
 1


 Assistant Chief Constable
(including Deputy Chief Constable)
 3
 3
 3
 3


 Superintendent
(including Chief Superintendent)
 35
 30
 32
 33


 Chief Inspector
 36
 46
 44
 45


 Inspector
 130
 134
 142
 145


 Sergeant
 352
 369
 369
 372


 Constable
 2,027
 2,087
 2,109
 2,115


 Total
 2,584
 2,670
 2,700
 2,714

Police

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of police officers who have retired in the last five years on ill health grounds were (a) diagnosed with stress or a mental illness, (b) injured while on duty and (c) injured while off duty.

Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally and is a matter for individual Chief Constables.

Police

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance exists in respect of serving police officers who are experiencing stress, depression or other mental health illness.

Cathy Jamieson: The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland published a Scottish Police Service People Strategy document in August last year and intends to introduce a strategy for a healthy police service as part of an associated action plan. The strategy document makes clear that the service recognises that its most valuable asset is its staff; that officers may be subject to stress and some may suffer from mental health problems; and that it is important that forces are able to provide appropriate occupational health and welfare services.

Police

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance exists in respect of serving police officers who have experienced stress, depression or other mental health illness.

Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-6037 on 26 February 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Police

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance exists in respect of the recruitment of police officers who have experienced stress, depression or other mental health illness.

Cathy Jamieson: The appointment of officers in Scottish police forces is solely the responsibility of chief constables. To assist chief constables in making appointments, the Scottish Executive provides guidance on the requirements, including medical standards, which those seeking appointment to the police service are expected to meet. This is provided to assist the force medical officer in assessing a candidate’s suitability and includes criteria relating to both physical and mental health.

Prostitutes

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to protect sex industry workers from exploitation.

Hugh Henry: Last summer we set up the Expert Group on Prostitution to examine the legal, policing, health and social justice issues surrounding prostitution in Scotland and to consider options for the future. The expert group will examine all aspects of prostitution in a phased programme of work, starting with, in the first year, the issues surrounding street prostitution. This group is not primarily about exploitation of workers in the sex industry but its recommendations are likely to have an effect in this area. More directly, section 22 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 created a new offence of trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation. The provisions outlaw the practice of trafficking people for use in the sex industry. In addition, we are providing £283,222 to the Routes out of Prostitution Social Inclusion Partnership in 2004-05.

Public Sector Staff

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when a decision will be taken on the relocation of jobs to Tiree.

Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-5714 on 5 February 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Regeneration

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the next steps in the Clyde waterfront regeneration project will be and what level of investment, over what period, is being committed to the project.

Mr Jim Wallace: The next step proposed by the Clyde Waterfront Working Group is the establishment of a strategic partnership board to promote and facilitate regeneration of the waterfront. The overarching proposal contains a range of projects, and investment in these is a matter for the members of the partnership board and the private sector.

Regulation of Care

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a review of the eligibility criteria for free personal care will be carried out.

Mr Tom McCabe: Sections 1 and 2 and Schedule 1 of the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 and the regulations made under the act require that personal care be provided free by local authorities to those aged 65 and over who need it, as recommended by the Care Development Group.

  The group also made clear in its report that all eligibility for free personal and nursing care should be subject to an assessment of care needs arranged by the local authority.

  It is proposed to review the guidance on Free Personal and Nursing Care In Scotland (Circular CCD5/2003).

Regulation of Care

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has allocated for free personal care in the (a) current year and (b) next two years, broken down by (i) local authority and (ii) NHS board area.

Mr Tom McCabe: The following funding has been allocated to local authorities for free personal and nursing care from 2003-04 to 2005-06. It is expected that local authorities will use their allocation flexibly in delivering the policy. A breakdown by NHS board area is not available.

  

 Local Authority

Total Indicative Allocation
Starting 1st April 2003


 £000's


 Aberdeen 
  City
 5,669


 Aberdeenshire
 6,684


 Angus
 4,667


 Argyll and 
  Bute
 3,547


 Clackmannanshire
 871


 Dumfries 
  and Galloway
 5,037


 Dundee City
 3,997


 East Ayrshire
 3,548


 East Dunbartonshire
 3,060


 East Lothian
 2,500


 East Renfrewshire
 2,990


 Edinburgh 
  City
 16,310


 Eilean Siar
 589


 Falkirk
 2,921


 Fife
 10,067


 Glasgow City
 14,019


 Highland
 55,13


 Inverclyde
 2,577


 Midlothian
 1,785


 Moray
 2,516


 North Ayrshire
 4,327


 North Lanarkshire
 5,617


 Orkney
 340


 Perth and 
  Kinross
 6,098


 Renfrewshire
 4,126


 Scottish 
  Borders
 3,552


 Shetland
 325


 South Ayrshire
 4,329


 South Lanarkshire
 7,936


 Stirling
 2,926


 West Dunbartonshire
 2,101


 West Lothian
 2,455


 Total
 143,000



  

 Local Authority

Starting 1st April 2004

Starting 1st April 2005


 Total 
  Indicative Allocation
 Total 
  Indicative Allocation


 
 £000's
 £000's


 Aberdeen 
  City
 5,791
 6,027


 Aberdeenshire
 6,929
 7,209


 Angus
 4,759
 4,951


 Argyll and 
  Bute
 3,619
 3,766


 Clackmannanshire
 893
 930


 Dumfries 
  and Galloway
 5,142
 5,352


 Dundee City
 4,089
 4,258


 East Ayrshire
 3,625
 3,773


 East Dunbartonshire
 3,121
 3,247


 East Lothian
 2,555
 2,660


 East Renfrewshire
 3,049
 3,172


 Edinburgh 
  City
 16,756
 17,434


 Eilean Siar
 605
 630


 Falkirk
 2,992
 3,115


 Fife
 10,283
 10,702


 Glasgow City
 14,364
 14,958


 Highland
 5,952
 6,194


 Inverclyde
 2,633
 2,741


 Midlothian
 1,824
 1,898


 Moray
 2,568
 2,673


 North Ayrshire
 4,420
 4,600


 North Lanarkshire
 5,761
 6,001


 Orkney
 348
 363


 Perth and 
  Kinross
 6,215
 6,466


 Renfrewshire
 4,219
 4,392


 Scottish 
  Borders
 3,627
 3,775


 Shetland
 334
 348


 South Ayrshire
 4,769
 4,962


 South Lanarkshire
 8,108
 8,439


 Stirling
 2,984
 3,105


 West Dunbartonshire
 2,151
 2,240


 West Lothian
 2,513
 2,617


 Total
 147,000
 153,000

Regulation of Care

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated annual cost is of providing free personal care for people under 65 diagnosed with dementia.

Mr Tom McCabe: This information is not available centrally. However, the Executive is committed to further consideration of the position of other care groups, such as younger people with disabilities. We propose to commission research on the needs of younger people with physical disabilities and dementia, and the services they can receive. Our intention is to discuss the possible aims and focus of this research with stakeholders and draw up a specification. The stakeholder group set up for this purpose has already met, and has scheduled further meetings.

Road Safety

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance exists for local authorities with regard to the provision of a gritting service on school bus routes.

Nicol Stephen: Guidance with regard to the provision of a gritting service on school bus routes is contained in "Delivering Best Value in Highway Maintenance – Code of Practice for Maintenance Management". This Code of Practice has been prepared by the Institution of Highways and Transportation and is supported, endorsed and recommended by, amongst others, the Scottish Executive, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland.

Science

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the review of science centres will include the role of centres such as Satrosphere in Aberdeen.

Mr Jim Wallace: This study covers all five science centres in Scotland.

Scottish Executive Legislation

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) Acts of the Scottish Parliament and (b) Scottish Statutory Instruments were enacted and made respectively in 2003 and, of these, how many were enacted or made in order to implement EU legislation.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: 19 Acts of the Scottish Parliament were enacted and 623 Scottish Statutory Instruments (SSIs) were made in 2003. Of these, 1 Act and 57 SSIs were brought forward wholly or in part to implement EU legislation.

Sectarianism

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on sectarianism in sport in Scotland and its implications for tourism and inward investment.

Mr Frank McAveety: The Scottish Executive will encourage and, where it can, assist any measures likely to make an effective contribution to combating sectarianism within sport and elsewhere.

  Sporting events do play a part in the promotion of Scotland as a tourist destination but there is nothing to suggest that sectarianism in sport has any impact on this. Similarly, we are not aware that it has had an effect on any inward investment projects.

Social Enterprise

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support social firms and community businesses.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive, through Communities Scotland, currently provides financial support to Social Firms Scotland to help them set up new social firms across Scotland. We are also providing direct funding to Social Firms Scotland for a project to assist the expansion of the social firm model for mental health sufferers.

  Also, as you are aware, we are in the process of reviewing our policies to support and develop the social economy in Scotland. Early last year I published A Review of the Scottish Executive’s Policies to Promote the Social Economy. An action plan to implement the report’s recommendations is being developed and I hope to make an announcement about this soon.

Sport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding for after-school instruction in martial arts, such as kung fu and kickboxing, can be made available through the Active Schools strategy.

Mr Frank McAveety: The aim of the Active Schools Programme is to increase the numbers and range of opportunities for young people to be more active in a variety of settings. It will be for individual local authorities and schools working with the Active Schools Co-ordinators to determine what activities will be promoted. Each Co-ordinator will have a budget which can be used to buy in services such as instruction in martial arts.

Standards Commission for Scotland

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints have been made to the Standards Commission for Scotland in each year since its inception on issues arising from the Code of Conduct for Councillors, broken down by local authority.

Tavish Scott: That is a matter for the Standards Commission for Scotland. This information is not held centrally. Information on completed investigations made by the Chief Investigating Officer and hearings held by the Standards Commission on issues arising from the Code of Conduct for Councillors is available on the Commission’s website broken down by local authority.

Standards Commission for Scotland

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints have been made to the Standards Commission for Scotland in each year since its inception on issues arising from the Model Code of Conduct for Members of Public Bodies, broken down by public body.

Tavish Scott: That is a matter for the Standards Commission for Scotland. This information is not held centrally. Information on completed investigations made by the Chief Investigating Officer and hearings held by the Standards Commission on issues arising from the Model Code of Conduct for Members of Public Bodies is available on the commission’s website broken down by public body.

Standards Commission for Scotland

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Chief Investigating Officer (CIO) is part of the Standards Commission for Scotland and, if not, whether the CIO shares administrative support with the commission.

Tavish Scott: As set out in the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000, the Chief Investigating Officer and the Standards Commission for Scotland work together within the ethical standards framework, but have separate statutory functions. To fulfil these functions independently, the CIO and Commission have distinct and separate administrative support.

Standards Commission for Scotland

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any person who is a member of the Standards Commission for Scotland was invited to give any views in respect of those being considered for appointment as Chief Investigating Officer.

Tavish Scott: No member of the Standards Commission for Scotland was invited to give any views in respect of those being considered for appointment as Chief Investigating Officer.

Standards Commission for Scotland

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the full text of the advertisement for the post of Chief Investigating Officer of the Standards Commission for Scotland; where the post was advertised, and how many applications were received.

Tavish Scott: The advertisement for the post of Chief Investigating Officer was published in The Scotsman , The Herald , The Press and Journal , The Courier and Daily Record . Seventy-one applications were received. A copy of the text is provided below for reference.

  "Chief Investigating Officer (CIO)

  The Chief Investigating Officer will be responsible for investigating and reporting to the Standards Commission on alleged breaches of the Codes of Conduct relating to Councillors and members of devolved public bodies. The investigatory functions of the CIO will be independent of the adjudicatory functions of the Commission. Accordingly, the CIO will have discretion about the conduct of his or her duties. The CIO will be able to investigate alleged breaches by both serving and former councillors and members of relevant public bodies.

  Candidates must have leadership skills and a preparedness to demonstrate high standards of probity and integrity expected by the public; experience of conducting investigations (gathering information, interviewing, analysis etc); an understanding of the importance attached, by politicians, the public and the press, to ethical standards; management and communication skills and the ability to write thorough and soundly argued reports; the ability to reach sound, independent and reliable judgements; tact, discretion and an understanding of confidentiality, transparency and accountability.

  The Chief Investigating Officer is expected to devote 2.5 days per week and attracts a salary of £30,000. The post is pensionable. This salary is currently under review. Applications will be considered on a loan or secondment basis if suitable arrangements can be made with your present employer.

  Members of the Commission and the Chief Investigating Officer will be appointed by Scottish ministers. Appointments will be made on the basis of equal opportunities and on terms and conditions as ministers determine. Applications are welcomed from all suitably qualified people regardless of race, gender, marital status, disability or sexual orientation. Applications from under-represented groups are actively encouraged. The Executive is committed to the principles of public appointments based on merit with independent assessment, openness and transparency of process. Political activity will not be a criterion for appointment but candidates must subscribe to the objectives of the Commission.

  Appointments will initially be for three years, renewable at the discretion of Scottish ministers. Time commitments specified above will be reviewed in light of experience and may be amended.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total outstanding debt is to the student loans company.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is given on table number 6, page number 58 of the Student Loans Company Annual Report 2001-02, published by the Student Loans Company in 2003, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 30921). The Student Loans Company annual report 2002-03 will soon be published and copies will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many student loans have been taken out in each year since they were introduced.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is given on table number 2, page number 57 of the Student Loans Company annual report 2001-02, published by the Student Loans Company in 2003, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 30921). The Student Loans Company annual report 2002-03 will soon be published and copies will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any student loan debts have been sold to the private sector.

Mr Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-18120 on 27 September 2001. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of time is for a graduate to repay their student loan.

Mr Jim Wallace: The average length of time for a graduate to repay their student loan is 13 years.

Tourism

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the ad hoc ministerial group on tourism will next meet.

Mr Frank McAveety: There are no plans for the ad hoc ministerial group on tourism to meet again.

Tourism

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the ad hoc ministerial group on tourism has delivered its report to the Cabinet, and if not, when the group expects to do so.

Mr Frank McAveety: The ad hoc ministerial group on tourism is currently in the process of presenting its report to Cabinet.

Waste Management

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in helping local authorities develop sustainable strategies for dealing with waste.

Allan Wilson: Plans for the sustainable management of municipal waste in Scotland were set out in the National Waste Plan and its 11 constituent area waste plans published early in 2003. To support implementation of the plans, around £120 million to 2006 has, to date, been distributed to 22 local authorities from the Strategic Waste Fund including over £27 million to the three authorities in North-East Scotland.

Wildlife

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the reintroduction of native species to Scotland.

Allan Wilson: Executive policy on the reintroduction of non-native species is guided by the provisions of Article 11 of the EU Birds Directive and Article 22 of the EU Habitats Directive.

  In considering individual proposals for reintroduction, the Scottish Executive follows the IUCN guidelines with regard to the reintroduction of species formally native to Scotland.

  Scotland has a good track record of successful re-introductions, including White-tailed Sea Eagles, Red Kites and Ospreys.

Scottish parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer which west of Scotland companies the Presiding Officer was referring to in his speech to the Parliament on 5 April 2000 when he assured the Parliament that such companies were to "manufacture off site everything from the concrete MSP office modules to the specialist windows"; why this assurance was given to the Parliament; who advised the Presiding Officer that this was the case; where the information referred to was obtained; what contact has been made with the firms in question, and whether any apology is due to them and, if so, by whom.

Mr George Reid: In his evidence to the Holyrood Inquiry on 4 February, Sir David Steel gave a full explanation about the comments he made on 5 April 2000 concerning "firms in the west of Scotland". A transcript of Sir David’s statement is available on the Holyrood Inquiry website.